Shad side and topcase install--Many Pics

[Pseudo-Fed]

Well, I've had "Sarah" 3 weeks. Got frame/axle/fork sliders, Grip Puppies, Puig racing screen, Tank protector and tank bag. Just bought and installed Shad SH43 side cases, along with topmaster bracket and sidemaster brackets. Also got the top plate for Shad's SH50 topcase, which I already had on my Concours 14 ("Jane"). The side cases even came with an extra cylinder and key "in case there is a 3rd case install". But I'll be danged if I can figure out how to change it out in the SH50!

Got the Shad stuff from Erik O'Neil at 360 Powersports, aka sportmotogear.com. Great guy to work with, and got the stuff at a good discount, and paid no shipping. Because he's local to me here in Arlington, TX, I had to pay sales tax though. Erik even spent 4 hours helping me install the stuff in his shop! Erik just started carrying Shad recently. Check out his site at Sportmotogear.com - Your source for all your motorcycle luggage needs. and give him a call!

BTW, pics taken with my Blackberry Curve 8900--great 3.2 MP camera!

First, just the racks:

Here it is with just the side cases. Didn't get good pic with just topcase, so I'll have to post that later. For reference, the SHOEI is Large. Not crazy about the turn signal extensions, so I'll be getting a competition werkes FE, which is 12" wide and should fit between the cases well.

Please see next post for additional images due to image count limit.

 

[Motogiro]

Very nice set up! Like that....

Cliff

 

[Pseudo-Fed]

Very nice set up! Like that....

Cliff

Thanks! I love the quality of the Shad stuff--and it's cheaper than Givi. Also comes with desired color plate that doesn't have to be bought separately. Since I have the SH50 already, I can move it between the bikes.

 

[clunk]

What part of Arlington are you in ... SW here.

Can you share what the final "discounted" price you got was? I have gone back and forth over hard luggage, but I don't really like the soft stuff I have hanging on right now. If I add up the separate parts ... looks like I come up around $1200 (before taxes).

 

[SANGER_A2]

Damn! Those side cases look good. Who needs an FJR?

 

[brad81987]

Looks awesome. I will be considering these if I decide to go all out sport tourer with my FZ. I really like the Givi PLX look but these are cheaper and hold more.
What side racks are those?
(and yes, that Blackberry take some pretty awesome pictures)

 

[616ah]

looks good - nice pics! I have to wonder if shad cases would fit as well with the SW Motech mounts though... empty brackets like that would drive me nuts - but thats me. Thanks for posting the pics! :thumbup:

 

[Pseudo-Fed]

Looks awesome. I will be considering these if I decide to go all out sport tourer with my FZ. I really like the Givi PLX look but these are cheaper and hold more.
What side racks are those?
(and yes, that Blackberry take some pretty awesome pictures)

Thanks. racks are Shad "side master" for FZ6 07-09.

 

[Pseudo-Fed]

What part of Arlington are you in ... SW here.

Can you share what the final "discounted" price you got was? I have gone back and forth over hard luggage, but I don't really like the soft stuff I have hanging on right now. If I add up the separate parts ... looks like I come up around $1200 (before taxes).

Actually live in far north Fort Worth. Got Erik's name and info from Binetto-Shad's distributor. Erik told me Tucker Rocky just picked up Shad which should help alot in availability, etc.

I'll let Erik quote you a price, but he gave me a decent % discount off MSRP for all 4 pieces (side master rack, top master rack, side cases which included color plates, and top plate for the topcase I already owned). Plus, you don't pay shipping, but you do pay tax. Email me at [email protected] and I'll share details.....

 

[Jadon01]

Is the topcase bracket seperate from the side case bracket..?? Looking for just a topcase addition right now...

 

[Pseudo-Fed]

Is the topcase bracket seperate from the side case bracket..?? Looking for just a topcase addition right now...

Yes. The shad topmaster is a rock solid install on this bike and supports their topcases. Depending on the case the top plate may be included too. It was not for the 50. The 46 also looks great and has a brake light option. Check out parts and install instructions at binetto.com. Then call Erik to order. I'm not affilifated with Erik or Shad. Just love the Shad quality.

 

[FZ1inNH]

Those look awesome on the FZ6! Nice touring setup and LOTS of room!

I may have to contact them for the FZ1 and see what I can get for prices... I was thinking ot cases and when I go on tour, changing the gearing to get the MPG bennies.

 

[SirIsaac]

Is the topcase bracket seperate from the side case bracket..?? Looking for just a topcase addition right now...

This thread has some good pictures of a top case install. I thought hard about buying the rack and case from makanouchi, but by the time I decided to go ahead and do so, someone else had already bought it. It was a really good deal. Of course after missing that opportunity, I decided I had to have one, so I bought new. I got the rack and an SH29 top case from CycleLuggage.com, grand total shipped was $216. But I haven't made the time to install it yet, which is why I linked to pictures of makanouchi's bike instead of providing pictures of my own.

 

[CrazyBiker]

Doesn't the top master scratch/scrape the tail assembly?

 

[SirIsaac]

Due to my public shaming of myself with yesterday's message about not installing my Shad stuff, I put the rack on last night. I thought I would be special, but as reported by others, the rack installation is kind of a pain in the a$$. The difficult part is where the rack clamps to the side- or grab-rail. The clamping system consists of the upper and lower rack sections, which are metal, and two form-fitted plastic inserts which go between the metal racks and the grab-rail. These pieces clamp around the strut that supports the grab-rail at the rear. Once assembled, I don’t believe that there is much danger of scratching – the plastic inserts should provide sufficient protection. However, as has been reported by others, aligning those four pieces and getting the bolts through and tightened is at best a tricky proposition, and an exercise in frustration and cursing at worst. My experience was somewhere in between those extremes. I’m pretty sure that I scratched at least one of the grab-rail struts with one of the bolts as I was attempting to assemble and tighten things. Probably not a big deal as it won’t be visible at all with the rack installed, and should not be in a noticeable location if I ever remove the rack. Either way, what’s done is done.

The main problem I see with the clamping system is that the geometry essentially guarantees difficulty. The bolts that clamp things together are not parallel (see picture below), they are at an angle to each other, so that if you line one set of holes up, the other is not lined up. The nuts are welded to the bottom piece, which is normally a good thing since it eliminates the need to get a wrench on them, but in this case I think it would be better to have separate nuts to allow for more flexibility in aligning things. Better yet would be to alter the design so that the bolts are parallel as illustrated below. But I didn’t design the rack, so maybe Shad thought of that and came up with the best solution. In any case, I’m pretty sure that I cross-threaded at least one bolt, maybe one on each side. Sigh, but as a mechanic friend once said to me, “cross-thread is better than no-thread,” and (like the scratch) it should not affect me until and unless I take the rack off.

I stole the base pictures out of CrazyBikers Shad installation thread (http://www.600riders.com/forum/how-tos/7884-shad-50-top-case-rack-installation.html) and put my own circles and arrows on them, so due credit is given to CrazyBiker.

Aside from the above design issue which causes some installation difficulty, the Shad rack seems to be sturdy and well-designed. I’ll install the top-case bottom plate tonight, that looks like a piece of cake. (Famous last words?)

 

[CrazyBiker]

3 of the 4 welded nuts snapped off on mine. It was for good as I replaced them with nice hex nuts plastic locking heads.

 

[Pseudo-Fed]

Doesn't the top master scratch/scrape the tail assembly?

As SirIsaac said below, the "straps", which are form fitting plastic pieces clamp the rear of the grap rail. That said, I'm sure in threading the bolt through 4 pieces and moving back and forth and cursing, I took the paint off the sides of the little rear grab rail strut. Should not be visible though, even with the rack uninstalled. A little more care and it could have maybe been avoided. Just a little touch up paint in any available blue and it won't be noticeable since in hidden location.

 

[SirIsaac]

3 of the 4 welded nuts snapped off on mine. It was for good as I replaced them with nice hex nuts plastic locking heads.

I kind of wish that I had removed my nuts (???!!!) and used separate hex nuts. It would probably work to just remove one nut and leave one welded nut per side. I think I will suggest this to Shad.